Renowned exercise science researcher outlines the benefits of the training—and how to use it—in second edition of his best-selling book

When Jim Stoppani offers advice, the strength training community takes notice. After all, the senior science editor at Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, and Flex magazines has written thousands of articles on exercise, nutrition, and health while winning awards for his groundbreaking research. Stoppani also has over 430,000 followers on his Facebook page. In the forthcoming second edition of his bestselling book, Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength, he details hundreds training and why skilled strength trainers will benefit from it.

Stoppani stresses that hundreds training is an extremely hardcore method that incorporates very high repetitions—100 reps per set—which is why it is only for those with at least one full year of consistent strength training experience. The reason it benefits experienced lifters is the way it incorporates both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Slow-twitch muscle fibers tend to be used for endurance activities; therefore, higher reps tend to train those fibers best. Stoppani points out that because the weight is so light and the reps so high with hundreds training, the slow-twitch muscle fibers are thoroughly trained in the beginning of the set. But since most muscles are close to 50 percent slow twitch and 50 percent fast twitch, it’s a good idea to use techniques that train both types of muscle fibers.

“With hundreds training you will hit the slow-twitch muscle fibers during the first 60 reps or so. After that, your muscles will have to call on the fast-twitch muscle fibers to help out the fatigued slow-twitch fibers,” says Stoppani, a PhD who has been the personal nutrition and health consultant for numerous celebrity clients, including LL Cool J, Dr. Dre, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Mario Lopez. “Doing this many repetitions causes biochemical changes in the muscle, which aid in muscle growth. It also leads to greater growth of blood vessels that feed the muscle fibers to enhance the delivery of blood, oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to the muscle cells. This environment increases the growth potential of the muscle fibers.”

The catch with hundreds training is that the weight a person uses to complete 100 reps is around 20 to 30 percent of a weight used for 10 strict reps. “For example, if you use 50-pound dumbbells for 10 reps on dumbbell curls, you will use 10- to 15-pound dumbbells when you do hundreds training,” Stoppani explains. “Your goal is to perform at least 70 reps before you stop for a quick breather. That is, you should fail before you reach 100 reps. If you can do all 100 reps with a given weight, without stopping, then the weight is too light and you will need to increase it for the next workout.” He says your mark for increasing the weight is when you can get 70 rest-free reps or more with a weight.

The best way to use hundreds training, according to Stoppani, is to train each muscle group twice per week, such as following an upper- and lower-body training split. The only difference is that you can do up to three exercises for larger muscle groups like the chest, back, and quadriceps because you perform only one set of each exercise with hundreds training. “Try hundreds training for two to four weeks,” Stoppani suggests. “It is very intense and will be difficult to follow for any longer. Then follow it with a standard mass training that uses heavy weight and low reps.” Another way hundreds training can be used is to sporadically train one muscle group or the entire body for just one or two workouts as a way to change training style and shock the muscles for added growth.

Stoppani offers a sample set of hundreds training in the new edition of Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength. The book is a comprehensive guide offering 382 exercises and 116 ready-to-use workouts featuring the most popular training equipment, such as free weights, TRX, BOSU, kettlebells, and body weight.

About the Author

Jim Stoppani, PhD, is senior science editor at Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, and Flex magazines. He is the host of the popular Muscle & Fitness online training and nutrition video series M&F Raw and a frequent contributor to Bodybuilding.com. Stoppani is owner of the supplement company JYM Supplement Science and runs his own fitness website, JimStoppani.com.

One of the foremost researchers in the field of exercise science, Stoppani received his doctorate in exercise physiology from the University of Connecticut. After graduation, he served as a postdoctoral research fellow in the prestigious John B. Pierce Laboratory and department of cellular and molecular physiology at Yale University School of Medicine, where he investigated the effects of exercise and diet on gene regulation in muscle tissue. For his groundbreaking research, Stoppani was awarded the Gatorade Beginning Investigator in Exercise Science Award in 2002 by the American Physiological Society.

Stoppani has written thousands of articles on exercise, nutrition, and health. He is coauthor of the New York Times bestseller LL Cool J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle (Rodale, 2010) as well as the books Stronger Arms & Upper Body (Human Kinetics, 2009) and PrayFit (Regal 2010). He is also coauthor of the chapter "Nutritional Needs of Strength/Power Athletes" in the textbook Essentials of Sports Nutrition and Supplements (Humana Press, 2008). Dr. Stoppani is the creator of the Platinum 360 diet found in the book LL Cool J’s Platinum 360 Diet and Lifestyle (Rodale, 2010) and creator of the diet program found in the book Mario Lopez’s Knockout Fitness (Rodale, 2008).

Dr. Stoppani has been the personal nutrition and health consultant for numerous celebrity clients, such as LL Cool J, Dr. Dre, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Mario Lopez. He has appeared on the NBC television show Extra as an Extra LifeChanger and as a science expert on the Spike television shows Jesse James Is a Dead Man and MANswers.

Stoppani resides in Los Angeles.

Contents

Part I Training Essentials

Chapter 1 Core Concepts

Chapter 2 Training Variables

Chapter 3 Training Cycles

Chapter 4 Strength Training Equipment

Part II Training for Muscle Mass

Chapter 5 Tactics for Building Muscle Mass

Chapter 6 Programs for Building Muscle Mass

Chapter 7 Training Cycles for Building Muscle Mass

Part III Training for Maximal Strength

Chapter 8 Tactics for Maximizing Strength

Chapter 9 Programs for Maximizing Strength

Chapter 10 Training Cycles for Gaining Maximal Strength

Part IV Training for Maximal Fat Loss

Chapter 11 Tactics for Maximal Fat Loss

Chapter 12 Cardio Training for Maximizing Fat Loss

Chapter 13 Programs for Maximal Fat Loss

Part V Training Exercises

Chapter 14 Chest

Chapter 15 Shoulders

Chapter 16 Back

Chapter 17 Trapezius

Chapter 18 Triceps

Chapter 19 Biceps

Chapter 20 Forearms

Chapter 21 Quadriceps

Chapter 22 Hamstrings and Glutes

Chapter 23 Calves

Chapter 24 Abdominals and Core

Chapter 25 Whole Body

Chapter 26 Calisthenics

Part VI Nutrition for Maximizing Muscle Mass, Strength, and Fat Loss

Chapter 27 Nutrition for Maximizing Muscle Mass and Strength

Chapter 28 Supplements for Maximizing Fat Loss

Appendix A: Metric Equivalents for Dumbbells and Weight Plates

Appendix B: Alternative Foods List

Glossary

References

Index

About the Author

To schedule an interview with Jim Stoppani, contact Maurey Williamson at 1-800-747-4457, ext. 7890, or maureyw@hkusa.com.